Misaki wandered into her brother's room and cushioned herself on his soft bed. Although his room has been unoccupied, and his bed untouched over a year, it still has his therapeutic scent that eased Misaki's longing for Ryosuke. She flipped to her side and stared at a photo he placed on his desk. a photo of her and his brother, and memories of his brother flowed through her mind.   "I didn't steal that! they maligned me!" Misaki shouted in protest as she was faced by a crowd of onlookers, including the shop attendant and a group of elite school girls.    "why should we maligned you? and besides, we have better things to do than people like you" they mocked at her status. Misaki wasn't as smart in her studies in the Yamada household. She may score the same as her brother but still she managed only to land herself in one of the neighborhood school. Her low status jeopardizes her rights to argue for justice as she could clearly see the preconceptions clouding the judgements of everyone around.    "they walked out with me, so it's not fair if you only searched me!" Misaki made her last struggle after the attendant found a pack of unpaid hair accessories in her bag. She saw the girls stealing right before her eyes, and they have definitely dropped the pack in her bag just when the attendant noticed. Misaki was sure of the order of events and all it takes to clear her name is some proofing.   "Why should I search them. i didn't spot them stealing!"   "you didn't see me either! You are biased!" She swore her innocence but no one listened. Those girls, on the other hand, were sniggering amongst themselves.    "Stop struggling. There's no need to drag us along. People like you fit the police station much more. anyway arigatou" the girls whispered intimidatingly in her ears when the shop attendant dragged her out of the shop towards the nearby police station.    "i didn't do it!!!! please listen~ they stole it!" Misaki felt so insulted, so desperate, that tears are welling in her eyes. the man's tight grip of her arms to restrain her struggling were hurting. in her mind, she worried about how her parents would beat the daylight out of her. they wouldn't listen.   "Chotto matte kudasai!" Misaki was glad to see her brother at a distance, running across the road towards the shop.   "Nichan!!!!" she shouted with relief. even if there's no one in the world who believes her or supports her, she knows her only elder brother would. they teased each other alot, almost like mars and earth, but still her brother spends so much time with her that she relies much on him.   "nichan~ they maligned me. they said I stole their stuff. it's those girls, they put it in my bag," she cried terribly when she faced her brother, documenting her grievances.   "is there anyone her who saw the incident?!" Ryosuke asked the crowd but there were only murmurs. he sighed at the onlookers.   He looked up and saw a few security cameras and pointed at them. "could we review the tapes?"   "it's not necessary. I found those stuff in her bag. that's physical evidence!" the shop attendant insisted.   "but you'll never know. haven't you heard, our eyes can play trick too. especially with your biased judgements, she has already been sentenced by you even before you found the item in her bag," Ryosuke spoke confidently while shoving her sister behind his back.   "nichan~" her tears were still running when he turned to face her.   "don't worry. I'm here. I would let anyone touch my sister," a smile crept up on her face as she felt comforted in her brother's protection. She held his hand for extra security and felt immensely grateful of him.    "oi! shouldn't you girls stay to watch?!" he shouted. Misaki was surprised that those girls knew my brother, and it looked like they have a crush on him. She secretly felt proud that she has her brother all for herself, and they could only crave.   "Yamada-kun... we have something on... so..."   "but I insist" Ryosuke sternly cordoned off the shop.    "ah, sir, i think the police needs the tape for evidence too, in case you're not sure how the police works. so you should just reveal it now" with his persistent and the gradual support of the crowd, the shop attendant has no choice but to accede to his request.   the verdict was no surprise for Misaki and Ryosuke. the girls did stole the stuff and dropped it in her bag. more were found in theirs. Justice was restored and the 2 siblings strolled back to their house.   "nichan~ arigatou" she said as she wiped her tears off her face.   "if it wasn't because my friend saw it, I wouldn't be able to come for you. you're lucky"   "yeah. nichan, you'll believe me even if the camera didnt prove my innocence, right?"   "I believe my sister more than those meaningless evidence" Ryosuke wrapped his shoulder around her and brought her closer to him as they resumed their slow walk back home. He could hear her soft giggles and was glad she's okay. but he wouldn't let off a chance to .   "but how come you look so weak back there. I thought you are always invincible! hmmm, maybe I'm wrong" Ryosuke immediately retreated after he saw his sister's vengeful stare.   "stop it nichan!! you're the worst!" and the slow walk became more exciting with the 2 siblings chasing after one another.    Misaki found a lone teardrop dripping onto his desk as she reminisce the encounters with her dearest brother. She picked up the framed photo and uttered softly, "nichan, you have to be okay.... please recover"    Looking at their daughter's yearning for her elder brother, the parents stood outside the room already on the verge of tears. Even her father, who always appeared mentally strong, appeared weak in contrast. He held his wife in his arms as she sobbed while uttering Ryosuke's name and saying her prayers. Witnessing all the heartbreaks around him, his ice-stone heart wavered. For Ryosuke's good, they all have to hold back their fears and tears, and he as a father must be the pillar, supporting his family including his sick child. He controlled his tears and remained his stern face, but deep down, he felt painful over his son's fate, he felt sorry, he wanted so much to embrace his poor son who has been suffering alone. He felt it was his fault that things progressed so far without his knowledge. If only he paid more attention to his family and less on work, he would have noticed his son's agonies.    ******

"you're Mirai right?" Chihiro asked while we both sat beside each other outside the sterile room.

  "h-hai" I stuttered at the thought that I'm talking to Ryosuke's sister. she's just as dazzling as he is, and it's difficult to take my eyes off her even though we're both ladies.   "thank you, Mirai"   "heh?"   "I overheard you. what you said to my brother was really brave and admirable. but it's exactly what he needs now, so thank you for choosing my brother despite everything" she wrapped her hands around mine as if begging. I could see the love and care for her brother overflowing from the bottom of her heart, and it reminded me of my brother who puts me before everything though enjoys teasing and bickering with me.   "we'll both stay strong for him, ne, Chihiro-san" I smiled back and gave her whatever strength I have after a tiring day.   she nodded and went on with pouring her feelings.   "my family, they're working hard to mask their worries so that they can face Ryosuke without upsetting him. until then, they decided not to appear before him so that they won't ruined the momentum he gained. I can't take my mind off him so I waited for him here. I needed to talk to him, comfort him if I can, be there for him which I've overlooked for sometime. if only I paid more attention, I would have noticed both his physical and emotional pain"   tears of regret were silently running from her eyes as she recalled to me the events a year ago.   He was having frequent headaches, giddy spells, loss of appetite, but because of the study stress at school, we never thought it's any problem. thinking back now, we were careless not to have monitored his health and took all of those symptoms in mind. but what I really feel apologetic was that night... if I have probed further the cause, maybe I would have found out his secret.   that night, my younger sister Misaki was having a performance at school and our family was invited. but because of my part time job, I wasn't able to make it at the last minute. I still recalled that night was raining cats and dogs, and when I reached home, the concert hasn't ended so I expected to be alone at home. as I walked past my room, I saw Ryo